.:. Lent

So we made it through our 40 days, our 40 nights with no chocolate or no trans fat or reading our Bible every day. We remembered the Christ as he came on a humble donkey leading a joyful procession to what would be an unexpected throne. We took Jesus at his word and remembered him in the bread and the cup, and were reminded anew of his betrayal, his denial, and his death sentence-coming from his closest friends and from the leaders of the church. Awkward Saturday came and went--the eve of Easter when huge parties of early Christians would be baptized--a beautiful picture-being bound to Christ in the depths of darkness to be raised again in a glorious light. And finally the real celebration.

I don't really know what the season of Lent means to you. I remember a couple years back reading some websites that were extremely critical in regards to the celebration of Lent. I don't remember all of the points that they made--actually, even the big picture is a little hazy to me right now, but I remember wondering if I should even be celebrating Lent. I had always kind of enjoyed Lent growing up. I was raised in a church aware of and fairly reverent towards tradition. I went through the traditional Lenten disciplines--giving up sweet things, unhealthy things, and sometimes just picked something because you gave up something for Lent...that's just how it was. One year in college...maybe it was High School, I forget (after I started thinking more deeply about some of these things) I gave up forks for Lent as a way to remind others about Lent--not just giving up something for my own sake, but trying to help the people around me, you know.

I remember those websites claiming that the season of Lent was a pagan holiday (a good chunk of people say the same of Christmas) which, in itself, is reason enough not to celebrate it, I guess. I know that the term "empty tradition" would tend to come up as well. Empty tradition has since been something I've continued to ponder and fight. I think it's only natural for us to seek authenticity and meaning in worship and relationships and every other aspect of life.

I suppose, then, that it seemed rather apropos this year that I chose a particularly pagan approach to Lent--not really giving up anything or holding too closely to the traditions. I guess I "tried" to do some things...but they didn't really take. It felt like a weird year for me in that regard. I think I was feeling like a viewer--like an outsider reflecting on the Christian community and found it mysteriously refreshing. Traditionally speaking, Lent is often considered a time of learning and reflection So I think it's fair that I share some of my reflections from this season.

.:.1 I need all the help I can get sometimes to get me out of my normal routine and into something else. If it's a practice of changing your mindset for 40 days that's been observed by faithful people for centuries, swell.

.:.2 I don't know if tradition can be empty. With a lot of traditions we forget the meaning and we're called to constantly be reforming and reminding each other in the religious things we do. And what if for one person in that community it's a transformative experience one time in 100? Think about how that translates for each person...it is, even in this watered down scenario, still worth the energy spent on it in my opinion.

.:.3 I think we still feel ashamed of our response to our God when he walked with us in flesh and bone. We still feel the weight of guilt. I don't know that it's completely unhealthy, but we're afraid that we're so steeped in tradition that we crucify our only hope without realizing it. But like those religious leaders, I'm not sure that our well-intentioned response will bring about the results we want.

.:.4 Faithful followers of our God have remembered the events that have shaped our history in strange and foolish ways for as long as there's been faith to be had. Ancient Jewish feast days, building monuments, holding great celebrations...I can't help but feel right remembering my Lord in these ways.

In all these things, I continue to learn and reflect. If that's what Lent is, then may we all keep that season with us all year round--never losing sight of the cross that changes everything.

Peace,
CS



Reading Log-----------------

I've been reading The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs. I'll try not to bore you, but I thought it was pretty interesting to get an agnostic's view (the author calls himself a secular Jew)as he attempts to follow every Biblical law and command he can find to the letter. His reflections are especially candid, often saying what the faithful are afraid to say.

One of the things that struck me was the weight of the law. Towards the middle of the book Jacobs came to doubt and even despair because of that weight--not only because of his interaction with the Jewish subculture, but with the Christian subculture as well. He realizes he can, "rationalize anything" and looks for loopholes in all things. Still, he begins to see mercy and compassion in the law as he looks more deeply and finds comfort in the structure and plainness. Near the end, Jacobs talks about finally letting his guard down and said, "If I had to label it, I'd say the feeling is part love, part gratefulness, part connectedness, part joy. And that joy was like joy concentrate." You'll find yourself doing some more healthy reflection. I'd definitely recommend it.